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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24520087">after the comet</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/trappedoutside124/pseuds/trappedoutside124'>trappedoutside124</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Everyone Is Alive, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Happy Ending, Romance, Sozin's Comet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:22:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,965</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24520087</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/trappedoutside124/pseuds/trappedoutside124</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>a missing scene from Sozin's Comet, where the Gaang reunites back at the palace after Aang defeated Ozai. Fluff, friendship, and happy endings inside.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aang &amp; Zuko (Avatar), Aang/Katara (Avatar), Katara &amp; Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang &amp; Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>235</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>after the comet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I love this show, and I love these characters! Leave a comment to let me know what you guys think!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Katara didn't know that they'd won the war until later. By the time she'd subdued Azula and healed Zuko's wound, the comet was beginning to fade in the distance. She hooked an arm under Zuko's shoulder and together they trudged towards the palace, leaving a now passed-out Azula chained to the grate. Katara watched as the sky overhead faded from a burnt orange to a faint pink sky, and then to a grey twilight. It was finally over. </p>
<p>Still, both of them didn't know if Aang had reappeared to battle Ozai. Katara didn't want to think about the consequences if Ozai had completed his plan. She pushed the thought out of her head as they finally made it to Zuko's chamber. She laid him on the bed and quickly began to heal him again, trying to alleviate some of his pain. Zuko had his eyes closed, grimacing throughout her healing. </p>
<p>"Do you think he did it?" Zuko said, choking out the words. </p>
<p>"Yes." Katara responded. If she said it enough times, then it would be true. "What's going to happen to Azula?" </p>
<p>"The guards hate her. They've probably arrested her already and thrown her in a cell." Suddenly, Zuko's eyes got wide. "Mai. Mai and Ty Lee are probably in cells right now." He tried to put an arm under him to get up. Gently, Katara forced him to lay back down, pushing him down by his chest. Zuko capitulated and let Katara continue her healing process. </p>
<p>"I'll get someone to check on them. You don't need to be moving for a long time." She did all she could to the wound, trying to decrease the inflammation and cool it down. The two sat in a content silence, soaking in everything that had happened to them. By now, the first stars were shining through the sky. The light of the moon was starting to stream through the window and onto Zuko's bed. Katara leaned back in her chair, moving her hands off of her friend and putting the water back into her canteen. Zuko's eyes were closed and his chest was moving slowly up and down. She smiled softly at him, and pulled the silk covers over his body. As she crept out the door, she flagged down one of the guards. </p>
<p>"Keep an eye on him. Make sure he's given medicine and water when he wakes up." She said, hoping that the man would take her seriously. The guard nodded once, and took his place in front of Zuko's door. "Oh, and send someone to get Mai and Ty Lee out of their prison cells. That is, if you can find anyone else to do it." The castle was seemingly deserted; Azula had either scared everyone away, or the entire city had gone into hiding. Parts of the roof were smoldering or crumbling from the Agni Kai. </p>
<p>Katara made her way onto the wide porch of the palace, staring up at the sky. "Please, please come home, Aang," she whispered to herself. It seemed like a lifetime ago that the they'd all set off from the South Pole. They'd all grown so much since then. Now, the one goal they'd had from the beginning could've been--should've been--accomplished. What came next? What happened now that Ozai was gone? Where would they all go? </p>
<p>She didn't want to think about the possibility of their group being split up. She knew she and her brother would want to go home and visit the south pole, and Toph would probably want to visit her parents. Zuko was the new Fire Lord and had to deal with the fallout of the war, including peace treaties, reparations, and decolonization. What about Aang? Would he stay with Zuko, or go with her? Not only that, but where was her Dad and the other warriors? Were they okay? So many questions were racing through her mind, and her head was spinning. </p>
<p>Suddenly, she heard Appa groan from outside the palace. Katara rushed out to him as fast as possible, sliding to a stop in front of the bison. "What is it Appa? What's wrong?" The bison looked up towards the sky. </p>
<p>Flying above them towards the beaches was a giant Fire Nation blimp. It was damaged in places and partly smoking, but it was flying nonetheless. However, it wasn't flanked by any other blimps. In fact, it seemed to be flying erratically, as if the pilot didn't know what he was doing. </p>
<p>She hoped to all the spirits that it was her friends flying the plane. Or, at least a badly injured Fire Lord. She looked back to the palace, where Zuko was still asleep. Part of her wanted to stay with him and make sure he was okay. But he had guards to help him if he woke up, and she knew that she had healed his wound enough to keep any infections at bay for the time being. So, she jumped on top of Appa. </p>
<p>"Yip, yip!" She commanded, and the two took off towards the beach as well. </p>
<p>By the time they got there, the blimp had landed on the sand. She could make out a few figures standing around, talking to some lone guards who had defected after being banished by Azula. Appa swooped down to the ground, Katara jumping off and running towards the blimp. The figures became clearer as she got closer. Suddenly, she heard Toph's voice say her name. "Katara! You're okay!" </p>
<p>Katara choked back tears at the sound of her friend's voice. Sokka and Suki came into view as well. She sprinted towards her brother. "Sokka!" she yelled, collapsing into his arms. He hugged her as best he could with his makeshift crutch. </p>
<p>"Good to see you too, sis." He said, pulling her tight. "Are you okay? Where's Zuko?" </p>
<p>Katara pulled Suki and Toph into hugs as well. "We fought Azula, but he got hurt taking a lightning bolt that was meant for me. Azula's taken care of, and Zuko's resting in the palace. He's in bad shape, but he'll make it." She gulped and looked past Sokka into the ship. "Where's Aang? Where's Ozai?" </p>
<p>"Fire Lord is laying down in the ship, wrapped in metal. Twinkle toes took his bending away and whooped his butt." Toph said with a grin. Katara's heart flipped in her chest and she let out a breath that she didn't know she had been holding. </p>
<p>"So he's okay," She said with a grin, nearly collapsing with relief. All of the sudden, Toph's words registered. "Wait, what? He took Ozai's bending away? Who taught him that?" </p>
<p>"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Sokka said with a smile. "He went straight to the palace to find you first. We thought that you'd meet him there." </p>
<p>Katara blushed and smiled. "Well, good thing I met you here because it looks like you'll need Appa to fly you back to the palace too, since you're on crutches. What even happened?" She helped Suki carry her brother to Appa, helping him climb onto the saddle. </p>
<p>"Let's just say that we took down a whole Fire Nation fleet using nothing but sheer will and intelligence." Sokka said with a smug smile. Toph punched him in the shoulder. "Ow! Okay, and some metal bending and some of Suki's seriously incredible combat skills." As Appa took them back to where Zuko and Aang were waiting, Katara listened to the three of them describe what happened. How Aang all of the sudden went into the Avatar state, how he was more powerful than any of them had seen before. How he'd learned how to take bending away from a lion turtle, and used it against Ozai. How a blue light had filled the sky, and how Aang had finally become a fully realized Avatar. </p>
<p>In return, Katara told them a quick summary of her fight with Azula. "She's always been a psychopath. At least we won't have to deal with her anymore." said Toph. "I wish I'd been there to see the fight." </p>
<p>Finally, Appa landed in the same square where Katara and Zuko had fought earlier. She looked anxiously towards the palace, and then back to her brother. "Go see him," he said, "Suki and Toph can help me get down." Not waiting to say thank you, Katara slid off of Appa and took off. She slid through the palace doors. </p>
<p>"Aang? Are you here?" she called out. She searched for any sign of him. Not seeing anything, she took off down the hallway, calling his name again. Around the corner at the end of the hallway, a familiar chittering greeted her. Momo flew around the corner and landed on her shoulder, licking her cheeks. "Hey, Momo! Glad to see you made it!" She said with a laugh, patting the lemur-monkey on his head. "Do you know where Aang is?" Momo flew back towards where he came. </p>
<p>Quickly, Katara realized that they were heading back towards Zuko's room. The guard was still posted in front of the door, but the door was cracked open. She could see through the crack a figure sitting in the same chair she was in earlier, staring down at Zuko. Her chest constricted; it was him. He was alive. Taking a deep breath to still her beating heart, Katara crept through the door. </p>
<p>In the lamplight, she could see that he was bruised on his arms, and dirt caked his legs. Still, he hadn't noticed her. He had his head in his hands. "Long time no see, stranger." She croaked out finally. Aang's head shot up. He smiled when he saw her standing there. </p>
<p>"Katara!" he exclaimed, pushing the chair over in a rush to get to her. </p>
<p>"Hi, Aang," she said as the tears began to fall. He scooped her up in a hug, twirling her around. He smelled like soot and ash. Finally, he put her down and looked at her, tears in his own eyes. Suddenly, she didn't know what to say. "I'm glad you're okay," she said with a smile. "I was so worried about you." </p>
<p>"Yeah, I'm okay." he replied with a smile. The two of them simply stared at each other and smiled. Aang picked up a piece of Katara's hair and twirled it around his fingers. "Are you hurt?"</p>
<p>She shook her head no. "I'm not, but you look like you are," she said, brushing her fingers over a particularly nasty bruise on his arm. </p>
<p>Aang shrugged. "Eh, it could've been worse." </p>
<p>"Yeah, you could've been struck by lightning." a voice croaked from the bed. They both whipped around to see Zuko looking at them with a small smile. </p>
<p>"Zuko! You're awake!" Aang exclaimed, running towards his friend. "Are you okay? What happened?" </p>
<p>Zuko laughed softly at the monk's enthusiasm. "My sister happened. Took a direct hit from a lightning bolt." </p>
<p>"You didn't redirect it?" </p>
<p>"He didn't have time," Katara answered, cutting Zuko off, "Azula aimed it at me, and Zuko jumped in front of it. I owe him my life." Aang gaped at the both of them, eyes wide. Then, he turned back to Zuko. </p>
<p>"Thank you. Thank you so much." He said, more seriously. Just then, Sokka, Suki, and Toph hobbled in to join in the reunion. They all sat around Zuko's bed, talking, laughing, and reminiscing. All the while, Katara and Aang's hands stayed clasped together as they sat next to each other. Periodically, Aang would bump his leg onto hers. It was a signal that he was there, that he was real, that they'd won. </p>
<p>Katara didn't know what was going to happen next. But whatever it was, all of them were alive, and they were all together. </p>
<p>And in the moment, that's all that mattered to her.</p>
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